Loose leaf binder



Dec. 6, 1938. c B HAMMEN 2,139,159 LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Aug. 1, 1936 3 IN'VENTOR CHA R458 .3. 'fiauuzw ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 6, 1938 oose LEAF BINDER .Charles B. Hammen, East Orange, N. J assignor,

to National Blank Book Company, Holyoke, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 1,

1 Claim.

I This invention relates to improved loose leaf binder constructions and particularly to improvements in making such constructions for use in ,bothpunching and binding loose leaf sheets.

f According to the principal object of the present invention, I make an ordinary book binding case "consisting of back panel with covers hinged at the sides; to sucha back panel I attach the metal or mechanism of the loose leaf structure such as the toggle mechanism, spring plate, and holding rings or prongs common in loose leaf books and I incorporate a sheet punching device in such mechanism attached to and hidden by the back panel without substantially changing the usual appearance of the book. That is to say, the sheet punching mechanism is incorporated in the metal parts of a perfectly simple ring book construction and without any substantial change in the appearance of the book.

One way of accomplishing this object is to proceed as follows. The binder case is made up as usual. It is a common practice to put a metal stiffening plate in the back panel construction of the case and I fasten such a plate on the inside face of the back panel in the binder case of my construction. It is common practice to attach the parts of the ring metal mechanism to the back panel. But I mount such ring mechanism on top of a metal plate that is provided for cooperation with the stiffening plate of the back panel so that the two metal plates can work together with tools provided thereon, as a punching means for the loose leaf sheets. They work in the fashion of a little platen punch press, on the back panel. The bed-plate preferably carries the female part of the punching die and the movable plate carries the male part on the under side and the ring mechanism on the top side. Now, if, as an illustration, the two plates are hinged together at the sides with a latch at one end, the improved structure in one of its specific forms is complete. This complete structure is perfectly simple in appearance as it appears as the simplest form of ring book.

The user who would ordinarily object to hav ing a simple ring book cluttered up with a sheet perforating mechanism will accept the new book structure as he would a simple ring book. He will not see or be conscious of the punch press unless he wants to use it. At all other times the structure is made as if no more were in it than is in the customary simple form of book. It is common practice for some users to stab the paper holes by the ends of the rings or prongs as a means to locate holes in sheets not otherwise per- 1936, Serial No. 93,750

forated at the binding margin. New sheets are commonly put in a loose leaf book that way, but it is a sloppy expedient and tends to create a prejudice against loose leaf books. The temporary advantage of the expedient is forgotten but the sloppy appearance of a book having poorly applied sheets is ever before the user. With the present invention this difficulty in loose leaf book all use can be avoided with sufficient convenienceto persuade against the former sloppy practice. And, furthermore, the improved binder may be made up with definite advantages to the manu facturer.

The accompanying drawing discloses the invention. 7'

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a binder case;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a stiffening plate for the back panel and formed to serve also as a bed-plate for the perforating mechanism;

Fig, 3 is a perspective view of a movable plate as part of the pu ch press and formed to serve also as means of attaching the loose leaf mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the completed loose leaf binder with the punch press attached on the back panel and supporting the loose leaf mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a partial end view of Fig. 4 with the parts of the punch plates separated.

Referring to the drawing:

The binder case of Fig, 1 with back panel 2 and hinged covers 3 and 4 may be made up in the customary way, by usual automatic machinery. There need be no difference in the binder case as compared to the usual loose leaf book.

The plate 5 of Fig. 2 may be fastened by rivets through holes 5 to cover the inside face of the back panel. In this position it will stiffen the back panel and thus function as part of the back panel. As shown in its detailed form, plate 5 will also function as the bed-plate of a little platen punch press. It has die holes 6, square edge I to locate the paper, hinge parts 8 at the sides, a wide shallow recess 6 on the under side opening out at the end and surrounding each hole 6 and latch notch 9.

The plate ID of Fig. 3 is formed to function as the movable plate of the punch press. It has male parts I l for the punch press, to match holes 6, a cut-out recess l to match the square edge device 1 of the other plate, hinge parts I2 for attachment to hinge parts 8 of plate 5 and spring latch 9'.

In Fig. 4 there is shown the usual loose leaf mechanism, in this case a ring binder mechanism l3 of customary kind, fastened to the top of plate II), as by riveting. The plates are here connected with each other by hinge parts 8 and I2 and normally held together by latch 9' and notch 9.

It will be seen that the finished binder appears in all respects as a customary simple form of ring binder. It is simply used as such device is in the customary way. But whenever it is desired to put additional sheets, which have not been previously perforated, on the rings, the binder is used as a punch press for perforating purposes.

The user can grasp a ring and pull the spring latch 9' of the plate l0 out of engagement with notch 9 and turn back the whole metal loose leaf mechanism'as a unit with the plate It) to expose plate 5, as indicated in Fig. 5. The sheet of paper is positioned against square edge 1 and plate l0 turned back to operate the punch press. The little out disks are dropped into recesses 6' from which accumulations can be shaken out at the side edges. In the punching operation the movable platen plate In is operated by the loose leaf mechanism I3 attached to its top face as a handle. The rings are convenient handle means for punching operations, while the movement of all the parts with the top plate I!) gives a Weighted emcient operation. In other words, there is provided a sturdy little platen punch press in which parts of said press function as necessary parts of the binder construction and in this fashion perform double functions. The operation of punching paper and relatching the punch press plates will now be clear.

It is advisable on account of the pivotal movements of the two plates to slightly curve the male parts I I of the punch from the hinge line of the plates as a center, so they will enter the female parts with good registration and good punching effect.

When the improved binder is relatched, the user is not ordinarily conscious of the perforating mechanism. It does not add consciously to the weight, it is out of sight, and there are no necessary differences whatever in :the outside contour and appearance of the new binder as compared to the binder of the same type which is customarily made without a perforating mechanism.

Various detail changes within the scope of the invention disclosed will of course occur to the builders of loose leaf binders. Therefore, such changes are intended to be included within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A sheet perforator structure comprising a platen plate having a square edge flange at one from the face of the second plate, said hinged plates being foldable into a flat laminated metal ing open-sided pockets with said recesses on the 55 bottom side of the plate.

CHARLES 2B. I-IAMltflilN. 

